Joseph Marvin: Assistant Sports Information Director
Photo Credit: Tori Brayman '22
BREVARD, N.C. - The Brevard College Tornados Softball team (8-11) dropped a pair of non-conference contests against the Shenandoah University Hornets (8-7) at Ives-Lemel Family Field on Friday afternoon.
The Tornados rallied late in the first game but just fell short in a 6-5 decision. Shenandoah took control early in the back end of the doubleheader, prevailing by a final score of 9-0.
GAME ONE
Micayla McCoy (5-4, 2.49 ERA) earned the start for BC in the first contest, going the distance pitching seven innings. McCoy gave up six runs on 12 Hornet hits, striking out three batters in the process.
BC's bats continued their solid work, as the Tornados tallied 10 hits in game one.
Three Tornados posted multi-hit performances in the front end of the doubleheader. Sara Lallier led the way for the Tornados, going 3-for-4 with a triple and two RBI's.
Freshman Jocelyn Folkers went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI's, scoring a run as well. McCoy helped herself at the plate, posting a 2-for-3 line while walking once.
Shenandoah's Morgan Henley got the starting nod for the Hornets before giving way to Megan Scalley, who pitched five and a third innings, letting up an earned run on seven hits and recording the victory.
BayLee Jenkins led the way offensively for the Hornets, going 3-for-4 with a double and three RBI's.
Shenandoah struck first with two runs in the top half of the second inning before BC answered right back with three runs of its own. The Tornados put together a two-out rally as an Olivia Presley RBI single followed by Lallier's big two-RBI triple gave Brevard it's first lead, 3-2.
Jenkins tied the game at 3-3 for the Hornets in the top of the fourth with an RBI single before Folkers retook the lead for BC in the bottom of the fifth with a one-out RBI single. However, with a runner on third and one out, the Tornados couldn't add to their lead, popping out before grounding out to end the inning.
Shenandoah made Brevard pay in the top of the sixth, scoring three runs on four hits to take a 6-4 lead.
Both sides failed to score in the bottom of the sixth and the top of the seventh, bringing up the Tornado offense one last time, down 6-4.
With one out, McCoy kickstarted BC's rally with a single. Olivia Pauldin reached on a fielder's choice, bringing Folkers to the plate with two outs.
Folkers connected on a deep fly ball over the center fielder's head, plating Pauldin on an RBI triple to cut the Hornets' lead, 6-5.
Shenandoah ended BC's late rally, forcing a game-clinching groundout to escape game one with a 6-5 victory.
GAME TWO
The Hornets used two big three-run innings in the second and fourth frames to cruise to the triumph, 9-0, in six innings of play.
Shenandoah starting pitcher Carrie Robinson (5-2) pitched a gem, allowing two hits in a complete-game shutout, striking out six Tornados.
Lallier recorded her second triple of the afternoon in game two, while McCoy tallied Brevard's only other hit.
Shenandoah had four players post multi-hit performances in the second game, as the Hornets exploded offensively for 12 hits and nine runs.
The Tornados are set to return to action tomorrow as they travel to Danville, Va. for a Saturday afternoon doubleheader against the Averett Cougars (11-6) at 1 and 3 p.m.
To follow along with all the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, please follow the Tornados on Twitter and Instagram @bctornados, subscribe to 'Brevard College Tornados'' on YouTube, follow 'Brevard College Tornados' on SoundCloud, or like Brevard College Athletics on Facebook.
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